The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-11-09

i MEASURES.
But our mission does not cease here. We
have not only TO teach the American public
how 10 guard against infectious diseases by
quarantine restrictions isolation of the sick,
distinction and municipal sanitation, but
also to teach them the principles of personal
| hygiene. Not only will their individual sus-
ceptibiity in the presence of an epidemic
depend largely upon their personal habits
and mode of life but We must show them
how often organic and functional diseases of
| the various organs essential TO life are in
duccd by excuses in diet improper food,
the habitual use of spirtuous liquors, etc,
etc ] conceive that a most important part
of our work ip the future should consist in
| popularizing information of this kind. The
noble example set by our generous colleague,
Mr.. Lomb, Of Rochester, should be followed
by our association II its finances permit, or
at least we should present the subject 10
| phianthropists who, like Mr. Lomb, may
desire to be guided by our counsel i'm their
efforts TO do good to their fellow men. As a
matter of fact our limited means will not
justify us in offering prizes for essays ON
sanitary subjects and the most that we can
afford is TO print and distribute at cost such
essays as may seem suitable for popular dis
| tributiOn.
In another direction, however, We may
accomplish much good with comparatively
small amounts of mOncy, whenever our treas
ury will admit of it. ! refer 20 special in
vestigations in sanitary science, committed
to expert investigators who are willing TO
devote their time TO the work. and who
would ask only for such sums ms might be
necessary to cover the actual expenditures
for apparatus, material, etc.
The exact knowledge which has been OBJ
| tanned during the last decade, with reference
| To the etiolugy of the infectious diseases, has
been promptly applied in practical way by
sanitarians; and every addition TO our knowl-
edge in this direction is Of the greatest inn
| portance TO sanitary science, which, so far
as we can see, will reap far more benefit from
an exact knowledge with reference 10 the
essential characters Of each specific disease
germ than can be hoped for by the clint
| clan.
IL is not crcditablc to us rs nation that
50 small share Of the progress in this
| direction is due 10 American investigators.
In the absence of any department of the
national government having the power and
disposition to support Investigations in this
| field of science, the few who have pursued
psychological studies in this country have
worked under disadvantages, which were
| not only discouraging, but absolutely in
| compatible with the most efficient work and
| fruitful results. But the future is more
| hopeful. Individual munilicencc in several
OF our large cities, has supplied the means,
| which should have been provided long since
by the national government, for pursuing
| investigations in bacteriology and in expert
mental pathology.
In Baltimore we have well equipped
meteorological laboratory, under the dircc-
| ton of the able professor Of pathology of the
Johns Hopkins university In New York,
Boston, Philadelphia, and, believe, in
several other cities, meteorological labora-
tories have been established in connection
with well known medical schools.
In Brooklyn the lIOagland laboratory now
! in process Of construction, under the immc-
diatc supervision Of the gentleman who pro-
vidcs all Of the funds required for the build
ing and It's equipment, will supply all Of the
| facilities, both for students and for advanced
| investigators, which can Doe found in She
best equipped Laboratories nf Europe / AN
informed also that our colleagues from the
State OF Michigan, who are always IN the
| front rank In urging upon their Legislature
measures which will advance the sanitary
interests Of the State have secured the cstab-
lishment of q archaeological laboratory In
| that State. We have To thank one oi our
colleagues from the State mentioned for a
| most important discovery In the field OF san
itary science | refer Ia the discovery uf
tyrotoNicon by Prof Vaughan. With well
equipped laboratory under his direction
there Is good reason Ia believe that this dis
coyCry, 80 Crcditablc 10 American science,
would not stand alone TO the credit Of the
good State of Michigan.
Our association has already taken the In
itiativc IN encouraging and assisting from
It's slender treasury Investigations In sani'
tary science. The committee on disinicCt-
ants, appointed at the ST. Louis meeting IN
1884, has made an extended experimental
research with reference a. the value Of ynri'
4 Il a Il III.
germs. The final report Of this committee
will be submitted az the present meeting.
say final because, In my Judgment, all the
necessary data are now nj hand for dcicrnin-
ing the agents most useful for disinfoCting
purposes under various circumstances, aud
think the conclusion Of the committee may
be- accepted ~ a safe guide for future pruc'
ticc. II i true that more work can ho done
90 advantage In this direction, and Il viii he
desirable Ia test from time Ia time new
agents which may be suggested for disinfcct.
ing purposes; but the main object OF the as
socintion has been accomplished. and We
now know what agents can bc relied upon
for the destruction Of disease germs Of yari'
Gus kinds, aud In what proportion these
agents must be used 20 be efficient.
In consideration Of the limited means at
our disposal for the encouragement of SAM
tgry problems, would suggest that the as
pose. by calling for contributions from n.
members and from othcrs who may be viii
| ing 10 aid us in our efforts IN this direction
II YOU approve Of this suggestion, ] trusl
that some member will Introduce the ncccs
sary resolutions.
One Of the subjects which might be taken
up by a committee appointed for the pur
pose, and aided from the special fund, woult
bc a biological investigation Of the waite
supply Of towns and cities In the Unite,
States. Evidently such an investigation
would be q prntractcd one, and II would 10
advisable 10 begin with those towns which
, have q VIGOROUSLY bad water supply Per
, hnps Il could be- arranged that portion o
the expense, at least would be paid by thl
, town or city whose water supply was exam
iucd a. the inhabitants ~ such town or cit
would be especially interested IN the result
= Of the investigation.
Another question Of the greatest intcrcs
, | Ia a. Il that which relates to the pOssibilit!
Of protecting individuals from fatal infect
ious diseases by incubation with nm aitcn
( uatcd virus
, Protection from smallpox T. no longer
Z solitary instance Oi prophylaXis by inDcula
+ ton. In anthrax, in swine plague lruugci
! aud in plCuru-pnCumonin protective inucula
I tions have been pmcticcd upon large scale
, ! aud the value Of the method j. fully demon
strntcd. The evidence IN favor u rastcur
n NEGOTIATIONS Tor the prevention 81 hydro
I phohia u such that We can scarcely doul
/. that II has a relative virtue notwithsiandin
= the considerable number Of deaths whic
n have occurred among those who have bee
4 inoculntcd. The recent report Of the Englis
a commission, made after thorough invest
= CATION, g. favorable To tie method, whic
/. may, perhaps. hereafter be modified 20 rs
/. rive still better results.
n IN the various infectious diseases ~ III
/. lower animals which have been studied du
If ing recent year, including those forms Z
il scpticacmia which are only known 90 ~ h
l. laboratory experiments, we have niue